#truly a pipeline to be studied

[hackfixation]

bossy middle school girl who hangs out with the guys -> awkward trans man that definitely has a mental illness

[odoraful]

𝑺𝑵𝑶𝑾𝑭𝑰𝑬𝑳𝑫 𝑷𝑨𝑹𝑲 ᯓ 𝒁𝑨𝒀𝑵𝑬

the physician does not open his grand estate to visitors, however, he makes an exception for a special someone he’s known since childhood

⟡ content: reader is addressed as 'miss'; regency era inspired (certainly not historically accurate); reader and zayne are awkward yearners for each other; 3.5k wc

⟡ a/n: the mr darcy to zayne pipeline is very real to me !! did i watch pride and prejudice for the 234th time because of this? yes i did hehe i hope you enjoy mwah!

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Whilst many other gentleman in the country wished to show off their homes to display their refinement to the public, the solitary owner of Snowfield Park could not think of anything more undesirable. It was truly a shame, though. The estate had received its name from how picturesque it looked during the winters. Fresh snow fell in perfectly smooth blankets around the property, and dusted the foliage of trees as if intentionally painted on by an artist. When morning light emerged, and the snow began to melt away, the grand home would sparkle like sequins on a debutante’s dress.

Those who travelled past Snowfield Park could only admire it from a distance when heading to the next town over—rolling along on their carriages or leisurely walking by. What a waste it was, they all thought, to not allow visitation from guests and host lavish balls as often as one could. They all wondered whether the owner was even in his right mind.

He is a physician, that is the reason. He hardly has time to indulge in what he believes are frivolities.

A physician? How noble! He must be someone of great intelligence.

Indeed. I believe his name is Dr Zayne.

Quite the severe fellow I must admit. I remember during the last ball, the gentleman did nothing but loiter and offered a dance to no one.

Merely loitering? Goodness, has there truly been no one that has caught the man’s eye?

I wonder who is fortunate enough to be acquainted with him and be allowed visitation to such a place.

That was how many of the conversations that passed Snowfield Park went. Little did people know, other than the owner’s most immediate family, there was one other special person who the owner invited over.

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“Miss, you’re telling me you’re acquainted with the gentleman residing in Snowfield Park?” the driver of your carriage asked, speaking each word in disbelief.

You nodded. “Yes, I am.”

Your body also bobbed along with each trod of the horse. The carriage was open air, only able to seat two people, yourself and the driver. Much to your chagrin, your plain reply left the driver guffawing.

“You sure you’re not one of the many admirers trying to catch a glimpse of the elusive man?”

Glancing at the driver’s side profile, you could see him wiggle his brows. The driver was a young man, barely out of his teenage years, who had a penchant for dramatics.

“Certainly not!” you exclaimed, more defensive than your intended.

If the driver had not been so focused on the path ahead, he would have seen your cheeks turn pink.

“We have been good friends since childhood,” you asserted, “and just happened to drift apart when he went to university to study, that is all.”

The driver gave a sound of understanding, though, he still seemed unconvinced by your explanation.

It was completely true though. Your families lived in neighboring estates, and they endeavored to meet often when they found out they had children of similar ages. Many of your memories in youth had Zayne in them. Reading together in your grandmother’s study (Zayne reading aloud the narration, and you tasked with the dialogue for the characters), foraging for flowers and cataloguing them in your shared notebook, practicing your piano forte whilst Zayne completed anatomy sketches (with you often as the subject).

When he went to study medicine, you both sent letters to each other in those initial months. However, with your desire to seek your own passions (and your grandmother’s concerns over your entrance into society), and Zayne’s own pursuit of his career, the length of time between letters grew longer and longer.

Head swimming with memories, you stared off into the countryside. Tall trees that lined the dirt path segmented the bright afternoon sunlight as the carriage rolled past a long stretch of river. Far, far ahead, you saw a glimpse of Snowfield Park. No other details could be made out aside from that it was an impressive estate. You wondered if you could predict Zayne’s taste in design. Surely there would be a well maintained garden and a wide staircase leading to the front doors.

The driver could not ride fully into Snowfield Park as he had business in the next town he needed to attend to. You happily agreed to being dropped off a little ways before, just as the trees began to clear. The weather was pleasant, and it would take no longer than half an hour to walk. The driver pulled on the reins, causing the horses to slow to a stop. He hopped off first, moving to your side to assist you in getting down.

“Thank you,” you said as you smoothed out the skirt of your dress with your hands.

He gave an exaggerated bow. “You’re most welcome, miss. I hope Mr Zayne treats you well,” he winked, then hoisted himself back up onto the carriage.

Waving him goodbye, the carriage went on ahead to the next town over.

You were still quite a ways from the estate itself, left with a distance of grassy field to cross before it transformed into neatly sanded paths and a garden. Though, it was too small from where you were to make out any details. Thankfully, you enjoyed to walk.

As you set off, you checked the small purse dangling from your wrist. It contained your personal belongings, including the very thing that summoned you to Snowfield Park to begin with. A letter from Zayne lay neated folded inside.

Taking a deep breath, you began your journey on foot.

The closer you walked, and the more the house expanded in your view, the greater your heart twisted in your chest.

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Zayne’s home was even grander in real life than what you had imagined.

There was certainly a garden. One that stretched out well beyond the home’s facade, with neatly trimmed hedges, pristine white flowers and a three-tiered marble fountain. You walked through, gently reaching out to touch the petals of flowers. And there was certainly a staircase. Two to be exact, lined with railings carved from stone supported by miniature pillars. Both were built from the ground floor up to the first level, creating separate entryways from two different levels.

The estate was meticulously maintained and so peaceful. Only the wind and the trickle of water from the fountain could be heard. This type of serenity seemed fitting for Zayne.

You chose to walk up the stairs, heading toward the main entrance with ornate double doors. Your breath grew uneven with each step. It was inexplicable how rattled your nerves were at that very moment. What could possibly rouse your anxiety? You did not harbor any ill feelings towards Zayne. Quite the contrary, in fact. Back then, and even now, despite the length of time without contact, you were fond of him.

Rationalizing all this in your mind, you tried to bury your nervousness just as you reached the front doors. Grasping the knocker, you gave three firm knocks, hoping it sufficient enough to signal any occupants of Snowfield Park.

You readied yourself if Zayne himself would open the door for you. It was unlikely, but not entirely impossible. Typically, there would be servants that would initially greet guests. But, perhaps, the owner of the estate would alter convention for an old friend.

The door swung open and you subconsciously held your breath.

The person by the door seemed a bit older than you. She wore a simple dress with an apron tied around it, hair held back by a white bonnet. You exhaled. Conventions remain ever unchanging, you thought, putting on a shy smile.

“Uhm, good afternoon, my name is Y/N. I’m here to visit Mr Zayne.”

The lady looked you over up and down with her discerning eyes. Her brief inspection completed, her skeptical gaze gave way to a warm and inviting grin.

“Please come in! Mr Zayne has been expecting your arrival.”

You relaxed with relief, stepping in and getting a first look at Snowfield Park that many so desired to.

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Compared to your own abode with your family, the interior of this seemed to be fit for royalty.

The room had gold framed portraits of various people and landscapes hung on its cream colored walls. Ornate gold decorations filled the bare spaces in between each painting, reminiscent of leaves which curved and stretched towards the ceiling. The sunlight pouring through the large windows made each metallic embellishment shine. Tables held bronze candelabras with unlit candles and vases with arrangements of different florals. Lounges and chairs with navy upholstery lined the edges of the room, ideal places to sit and idle. Beyond you and to your sides were open archways, where you saw a peek of the winding staircases that led deeper into the home.

You tried your best to not just stand there slack-jawed at the entrance and follow the servant further inside. Was this really the estate that Zayne owned? The same Zayne who picked carrots off his plate at dinnertime and spent his allowance at the candy store in town?

The servant let you catch up to her in center of the room. She leaned in close to whisper, even though you were the only people in this vast space.

“Miss, just between you and me, Mr Zayne has been quite restless these past few days.”

“Restless?” you frowned. “Whatever for?”

She nodded towards you. Her implication that you were the object of Zayne’s anxieties made you even more confused.

“You must be a very special person to rattle him like that. He’s been pacing around, inspecting and re-inspecting all the furnishings in every room, buying fresh linens for your guest quarters.”

She then chuckled. “Quite frankly, it’s refreshing to see such a side of him since he’s so often busy with his work.”

“Speaking of, that is what he is currently occupied with now. I’ll let him know that you’re here.”

The servant curtsied to you before rushing through one of the archways. The sound of her footsteps on tiled floors retreated.

There was nothing to do but wait, and so you did.

You took a turn around the room, admiring the paintings of unfamiliar people and unfamiliar landscapes. Did Zayne know who these individuals were? Had he travelled to different parts of this country? You were now uncertain if the man you would shortly reunite with would even be recognizable to you.

One minute of waiting turned into three, then ten, then fifteen. You could probably recite the arrangement of paintings in the room with how much studying you were doing to fill the time. Looking off ahead of you, the entryways were a silent invitation to explore. Surely the servant wouldn’t mind that you had wandered off a little bit. She certainly hadn’t said anything against doing so.

Your feet moved of their own accord into the entry way ahead of you, eager to see more of the interior of Snowfield Park.

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“Mr Zayne,” Yvonne called as she knocked on the door of the study.

Zayne was penning a letter containing care instructions to the family of one of his patients.

He continued to write as he called out, “You may come in.”

Entering the room, the excitement on Yvonne’s face at being able to announce your arrival was replaced with horror as she saw Zayne.

“Mr Zayne! Have you not changed into your finer clothes yet?”

Zayne glanced up from his writing with a furrow in his brow. He was wearing his night clothes, a simple loose fitting white shirt, pants, and a robe. His dark hair lightly tousled from a restless night of sleep.

“I have not. Y/N isn’t due to Snowfield Park until the afternoon.”

Yvonne gaped at him, her voice high with alarm. “It is the afternoon now, Mr Zayne. And she has arrived not just a moment ago.”

The quill almost fell from Zayne’s grasp at his own shock. It was terribly unlike him to forget the time. His plans of burying himself in his work to keep his mind busy from your arrival had backfired on him.

He immediately stood up. Folding the letter and placing it aside, he strode towards Yvonne.

“She’s here? The time must have escaped me.” He ran a hand through his hair, attempting to steady his composure.

The day that he had perfectly planned had already sidetracked. You were here in his house and he was hiding away in his study in his undergarments. Outfit aside, was there even enough time to ready himself mentally as well? This was the first in a long time that he would be seeing you face-to-face, he hadn’t even thought of what he should say to you.

“Well don’t just stand there all flustered!” Yvonne huffed, piercing through Zayne’s thoughts. “You need to get changed right this instant!”

She scrambled behind Zayne and pushed him out of the study.

“It’s improper to leave such a lovely young lady waiting for so long! Come on now, Mr Zayne!”

He followed Yvonne through the familiar halls of Snowfield Park to his rooms. She spoke her thoughts aloud, deciding on what shirt, waistcoat and cravat would look the most appealing. He agreed with her that navy and white would make a suitable combination, though, Zayne had greater worries aside from the coordination of his clothes.

Five years it had been.

Five years since he went away to study at university and begun working as a physician.

Five long years of being away from you.

Gradually, you two had begun to drift apart like the slow moving of continents over centuries. Starting with a delayed letter, leading to a delayed response. The lengthy time between correspondence began to feel too awkward, leaving words unsaid. Once you had shared all the same experiences together, and now, you had become a fond daydream for Zayne. An occupant of his thoughts whenever the nights got too long for him. How were you? What were you doing now? Were you taking care of your health? Thinking of you seemed to soothe him.

That was why when there was a listing for an estate in the same village you both grew up in, he hardly hesitated in his decision to purchase it. Internally, he also saw it as a sign. If this were to be the place were he settled down, he knew he needed to invite you to visit.

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Snowfield Park could have easily been mistaken for a museum if one were to end up in the room you were in now. Not only were there more paintings hung on the walls, much like the entry hall, but there were sculptures, antiques and other unique trinkets on display as well. All were neatly spread out, with brass plaques beneath to provide a description of the piece. Too fascinated by the space, you forgot how much waiting time passed since the servant left.

One piece in particular caught your eye.

A sculpted bust of a man sat atop a pedestal, raising it up to your eye level. With a straight bridged nose and stern brows, the face would leave many people with a rather cold impression. Shivers winding up their spine by the frigidity of the sculpted likeness. Not you, however. Warmth bloomed within your chest. Lips parted in amazement. Many of the features remained the same, though refined with age. It was a familiar and cherished image of a close companion.

Zayne. Your Zayne.

Before you could stop yourself, your hand reached out. Closer and closer. Just until the pads of your finger barely ghosted against the cheek of Zayne’s face.

Hearing a step behind you, you instantly retracted your hand. Snapped out of your stupor.

“Y/N.”

You never thought your name could be spoken so gently until that moment. The origin was a low and smooth voice, like a spoonful of honey one would dissolve in a cup of tea.

Turning around with wide eyes, a name fell from your lips.

“Zayne,” you breathed.

In the quietness of the room, even your faint utterance of his name echoed in the space.

Zayne could have took you for one of the art pieces in this space with how well you looked. An ivy green dress with a grey shawl draped over your arms. You had traded elegance for practicality, leaving your gowns for balls at home so you could walk more freely. Still, the breath hitched in his throat as he looked you over.

His posture straightened before he bowed. “I’m sorry for frightening you.”

When he lifted his head, you noted how he blinked away from your gaze towards the ground. A habit he had as a young boy that he kept even now. Seeing it comforted you, though you could not understand why.

“I did not mean to disturb. I should have made my appearance known to you sooner.”

An apology. Those were his first words upon your meeting. You knew he had always been like that. Ensuring his intentions were made clear and rectifying anything that he misinterpreted. Aside from his manner, it was his appearance that also made your stomach flutter.

Both his coat and vest were navy, though the latter item was patterned subtly with white stripes. Tied neatly around his collar was a white cravat which accentuated his strong jawline. What was most striking were his eyes. Green and amber, resembling a precious gemstone. You didn’t remember them being so entrancing.

You shook your head (both in response to his apology and to dispel your meddlesome thoughts), and curtsied.

“It’s alright, truly. I was already at the end of my viewing anyway.”

He moved closer to you, each step reverberating. Your heart thumped traitorously in your ears. You hoped he didn’t notice how you stiffened when he reached your side.

“You seemed engrossed,” he said, looking over at his own sculpture.

“W-were you perturbed by my staring?”

His eyes brimmed with earnest as he replied, “No, no, not at all. That is a galley’s purpose. These artworks are displayed to be looked at.”

He hesitated, thinking about his words before continuing. “Though, I would hope that a… prolonged viewing indicates your favor towards a certain piece.”

You grew hot. Had your admiration really been so obvious?

“This is really a lovely home, nicer than anything I’ve had the pleasure of visiting” you said, quickly changing the subject.

A small smile tugged at his lips. People would quickly change their opinions about his coldness if they were to see the expression on his face.

“My staff are to thank for their work in its upkeep,” he responded. “I’m glad it is to your liking.”

Neither of you spoke for a moment. Mere seconds that felt like eternity as you stood side by side, fiddling with the material of your respective clothing, as if they were the most attention grabbing thing in this very room. You played with the hem of your shawl whilst Zayne adjusted the wrists of his jacket.

“Was your journey here smooth?”

The question tumbled out of Zayne more hurried than he intended. Desperation tinged his words, almost pleading you to continue talking to him. He wanted to hear your voice. Wanted to hear you speak to him about anything, like you once could together.

“It was. I rode a carriage from town then walked,” you replied, brightly. “I went through the garden at the front on my way to the entrance, as well.”

“The jasmines are in bloom now, as are many of the other flowers. I can give you a more proper tour later on, if you’d like.”

“I would enjoy nothing more,” you chirped, unable to temper your excitement. “I remember jasmines were your favorite when you were younger.”

His gaze fell on you, voice wistful and sincere as he spoke. “They still are, very much so.”

Two images seemed to flicker before you. The boy you once knew, and the man standing before you now. Perhaps the two were never separate. There would always be traces of your youth together, no matter when or where you found each other. This realization entered your mind with tenderness, much like the words of a loving mother doting on her child.

Again, the conversation lulled.

The statues and paintings were stationery witnesses to the endearing awkwardness of this pair reunited. Neither of you had the courage to look at each other, lest you revealed the flush that spread across both your faces. With nothing but Snowfield Park and time to yourselves, there would be much catching up to do.

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[artsekey]

Disney's Wish

Look, Disney's Wish has been universally panned across the internet, and for good reason.

It’s just…kind of okay.

 When we sit down to watch a Disney film—you know, from the company that dominated the animation industry from 1989 to (arguably) the mid 2010’s and defined the medium of animation for decades—we expect something magnificent. Now, I could sit here and tell you everything that I thought was wrong with Wish, but if you’re reading this review, then I imagine that you’ve already heard the most popular gripes from other users across the web. So, let me focus in:

The biggest problem with Wish—in fact, the only problem with Wish—is Magnifico.

Whoa, that’s crazy! There’re so many things about Wish that could’ve been better! The original concept was stronger! The music was bad--

I hear you, I do. But stay with me here, okay? Take my hand. I studied under artists from the Disney renaissance. I teach an adapted model of Disney’s story pipeline at a University level. I spent a ridiculous amount of time getting degrees in this, and I am about to dissect this character and the narrative to a stupid degree.

First, we need to understand that a good story doesn’t start and end with what we see on the screen. Characters aren’t just fictional people; when used well, characters are tools the author uses (or in this case, the director) to convey their message to the audience. Each character’s struggle should in some way engage with the story’s message, and consequently, the story’s theme. Similarly, when we look at our protagonist and our antagonist, we should see their characters and their journeys reflected in one-another.

So, what went wrong between Asha & Magnifico in terms of narrative structure?

Act I

In Wish, we’re introduced to our hero not long into the runtime—Asha. She’s ambitious, caring, and community-oriented; in fact, Asha is truly introduced to the audience through her love of Rosas (in “Welcome to Rosas”).  She’s surrounded by a colorful cast of friends who act as servants in the palace, furthering her connection with the idea of community but also telling us that she’s not of status, and then she makes her way to meet Magnifico for her chance to become his next apprentice.

Quick aside: I'm not going to harp on Asha as a character in the context of Disney's overall canon. Almost every review I've seen covers her as a new addition to Disney's ever-growing repertoire of "Cute Quirky Heroines", and I think to be fair to Asha as an actor in the narrative, it serves her best to be weighed within the context of the story she's part of.

As Asha heads upstairs for her interview, we're introduced to the man of the hour: Magnifico. He lives in a tower high above the population of Rosas, immediately showing us how he differs from Asha; he’s disconnected from his community. He lives above them. He has status. While the broader context of the narrative wants us to believe that this also represents a sense of superiority, I would argue that isn’t what Magnifico’s introduction conveys; he's isolated.

Despite this distance, he does connect with Asha in “At All Costs”. For a moment, their goals and values align. In fact, they align so well that Magnifico sees Asha as someone who cares as much about Rosas as he does, and almost offers her the position.

… Until she asks him to grant Saba’s wish.

This is framed by the narrative as a misstep. The resonance between their ideals snaps immediately, and Magnifico says something along the line of “Wow. Most people wait at least a year before asking for something.”

This disappointment isn't played as coming from a place of power or superiority. He was excited by the idea of working with someone who had the same values as he did, who viewed Rosas in the same way he does, and then learns that Asha’s motivations at least partially stem from a place of personal gain.

Well, wait, is that really Asha's goal?

While it's not wholistically her goal, it's very explicitly stated & implied that getting Saba's wish granted is at least a part of it. The audience learns (through Asha's conversation with her friends before the interview) that every apprentice Magnifico has ever had gets not only their wish granted, but the wishes of their family, too!  Asha doesn’t deny that this is a perk that she’s interested in, and I don't think this is a bad thing.

So, Is Asha’s commitment to Saba selfless, or selfish? I’m sure the director wanted it to seem selfless, wherein she believes her family member has waited long enough and deserves his wish granted, but we can’t ignore the broader context of Asha essentially trying to… skip the line.

Then, we get our first point of tension. Magnifico reveals his “true colors” in snapping at Asha, telling her that he “decides what people deserve”. This is supposed to be the great motivator, it’s meant to incite anger in the audience—after all, no one gets to decide what you deserve, right? But unfortunately for the integrity of the film and the audience's suspension of disbelief, at least part of Magnifico’s argument is a little too sound to ignore:

Some wishes are too vague and dangerous to grant. Now, there’s visual irony here; he says this after looking at a 100 old man playing the lute. The idea that something so innocuous could be dangerous is absurd, and the audience is meant to agree.

... But we’ve also seen plenty of other wishes that might be chaotic—flying on a rocket to space, anyone? The use of the word vague is important, too—this implies wording matters, and that a wish can be misinterpreted or evolve into something that is dangerous even if the original intent was innocuous. His reasoning for people forgetting their wish (protecting them from the sadness of being unable to attain their dreams) is much weaker, but still justifiable (in the way an antagonist’s flawed views can be justified). The film even introduces a facet of Magnifico’s backstory that implies he has personal experience with the grief of losing a dream (in the destruction of his home), but that thread is never touched on again.

              What is the audience supposed to take from this encounter? If we’re looking at the director’s intent, I’d argue that we’ve been introduced to a well-meaning young girl and a king who’s locked away everyone’s greatest aspiration because he believes he deserves to have the power to decide who gets to be happy.

              But what are we shown? Our heroine, backed by her friends, strives to be Magnifico’s apprentice because she loves the city but also would really like to see her family's wishes granted. When this request is denied and she loses the opportunity to be his apprentice, she deems Magnifico’s judgement unfair & thus begins her journey to free the dreams of Rosas’ people.

              In fairness, Magnifico doesn’t exhibit sound judgement or kindness through this act of the film. He’s shown to be fickle, and once his composure cracks, he can be vindictive and sharp. He's not a good guy, but I'd argue he's not outright evil. He's just got the makings of a good villain, and those spikes of volatility do give us a foundation to work off of as he spirals, but as we’ll discuss in a bit, the foreshadowing established here isn’t used to the ends it implies.

              While I was watching this film, I was sure Magnifico was going to be a redeemable villain. He can’t connect with people because he's sure they value what he provides more than they value him (as seen in “At All Costs” and the aftermath), and Asha’s asking for more was going to be framed as a mistake. His flaw was keeping his people too safe and never giving them the chance to sink or swim, and he's too far removed from his citizens to see that he is appreciated. Asha does identify this, and the culmination of her journey is giving people the right to choose their path, but the way Magnifico becomes the “true” villain and his motivations for doing so are strangely divorced from what we’re shown in Act I.  

Act II:

His song, “This is the Thanks I Get!?” furthers the idea that Magnifico’s ire—and tipping point—is the fact that he thinks the people he’s built a kingdom for still want more. Over the course of this 3:14 song, we suddenly learn that Magnifico sends other people to help his community and doesn’t personally get involved (we never see this outside of this song), and that he’s incredibly vain/narcissistic (he's definitely a narcissist). I think feeling under-appreciated is actually a very strong motivation for Magnifico as a character-turning-villain, and it works very well. It’s justified based on what we’ve seen on screen so far: he feels under-appreciated (even though he’s decidedly not—the town adores him), he snaps and acts irrationally under stress (as seen with his outburst with Asha), and he’s frustrated that people seem to want more from him (again, as seen with his conversation with Asha in Act I).

              But then… he opens the book.

Ah, the book. As an object on screen, we know that it's filled with ancient and evil magic, well-known to be cursed by every relevant character in the film, and kept well-secured under lock and key. But what does it stand for in the context of the narrative's structure? A quick path to power? We're never told that it has any redeeming qualities; Magnifico himself doesn't seem to know what he's looking for when he opens it. It feels... convenient.

I think it's also worth noting that he only turns to the book when he's alone; once again, the idea of connection and community rears it's ugly head! Earlier in the film, Amaya-- his wife-- is present and turns him away from taking that path. In her absence, he makes the wrong choice.

This decision could make sense; it contains powerful magic, and if it were framed in such a way that the people of Rosas were losing faith in Magnifico’s magic, as if what he can do might not be enough anymore after what they felt from Star, going for the book that we know contains spells that go above and beyond what he can already do would be logical. Along the lines of, “If they’re not happy with what I do for them, fine. I, ever the “martyr”, will do the unthinkable for you, because you want more.”

            It would keeps with the idea that Magnifico believes he's still trying to help people, but his motivation has taken his self-imposed pity party and turned it into resentment and spite.

 But, that’s not the case. Instead he talks about reversing that “light”, which has had no real negative or tangible consequences on Rosas. Everyone had a warm feeling for a few seconds. Again, it’s meant to paint him as a vain control freak, but… he hasn’t lost any power. The citizens of Rosas even assume the great showing of magic was Magnifico.

Act III

              Then, we get to the consequences of opening the book (and perhaps my biggest qualm with this film). The book is established as being cursed. Magnifico knows it, Asha knows it, and Amaya—who is introduced as loyal-- knows it. The characters understand his behavior is a direct result of the book, and search for a way to save him. This is only the focus of the film for a few seconds, but if you think about it, the fact that his own wife cannot find a way to free him of the curse he’s been put under is unbelievably tragic. Worse still, upon discovering there is no way to reverse the curse, Magnifico—the king who built the city & “protected it” in his own flawed way for what seems to be centuries—is thrown out by his wife. You know, the wife who's stood loyal at his side for years?

              It’s played for laughs, but there’s something unsettling about a character who’s clearly and explicitly under the influence of a malevolent entity being left… unsaved. If you follow the idea of Magnifico being disconnected from community being a driving force behind his arc, the end of the film sees him in a worse situation he was in at the start: truly, fully alone.

              They bring in so many opportunities for Magnifico to be sympathetic and act as a foil for Asha; he’s jaded, she’s not. He’s overly cautious (even paranoid), she’s a risk-taker. He turns to power/magic at his lowest point, Asha turns to her friends at her lowest point. Because this dichotomy isn’t present, and Magnifico—who should be redeemable—isn’t, the film is so much weaker than it could’ve been. The lack of a strong core dynamic between the protagonist and antagonist echoes through every facet of the film from the music to the characterization to the pacing, and I believe if Magnifico had been more consistent, the film would’ve greatly improved across the board.

I mean, come on! Imagine if at the end of the film, Asha—who, if you remember, did resonate with Magnifico’s values at the start of the film—recognizes that he's twisted his original ideals and urges him to see the value in the people he’s helped, in their ingenuity, in their gratitude, & that what he was able to do before was enough. Going further, asking what his wish is or was—likely something he’s never been asked— and showing empathy! We’d come full circle to the start of the film where Asha asks him to grant her wish.

Pushing that further, if Magnifico’s wish is to see Rosas flourish or to be a good/beloved king, he'd have the the opportunity to see the value in failing and how pursuing the dream is its own complex and valuable journey, and how not even he is perfect.

 The curse and the book (which, for the purposes of this adjustment, would need to be established as representing the idea of stepping on others to further your own goals/the fast way to success), then serve as the final antagonist, that same curse taking root in the people of Rosas who’ve had their dreams destroyed, and Asha works with the community to quell it. Asha’s learned her lesson, so has Magnifico, and the true source of evil in the film—the book—is handled independently. Magnifico steps back from his role as King, Amaya still ends up as Queen, and Asha takes her place as the new wish-granter.

This route could even give us the true “Disney villain” everyone’s craving; giving the book sentience and having it lure Magnifico in during “This is the Thanks I Get!?” leaves it as its own chaotic evil entity.

All in all, Magnifico's introduction paved a road to redemption that the rest of the film aggressively refused to deliver on, instead doubling down on weaker motivations that seem to appear out of thin air. Once the audience thinks, hey, that bad guy might have a point, the protagonist has to do a little more heavy lifting to convince us they're wrong.

Look at the big-bad-greats from Disney's library. There isn't a point in the Lion King where we pause and think, "Wait a second, maybe Scar should be the guy who rules the Pridelands." Ursula from the Little Mermaid, though motivated by her banishment from King Triton's Seas, never seems to be the right gal for the throne. Maybe Maleficent doesn't get invited to the princess's birthday party, but we don't watch her curse a baby and think, Yeah, go curse that baby, that's a reasonable response to getting left out.

What do they all have in common? Their motivation is simple, their goal is clear, and they don't care who they hurt in pursuit of what they want.

Magnifico simply doesn't fall into that category. He's motivated by the idea of losing power, which is never a clear or impactful threat. His goal at the start seems to be to protect Rosas, then it turns into protecting his own power, and then-- once he's corrupted-- he wants to capture Star. The problem is, there's no objective to put this power toward. Power for power's sake is useless. Scar craves power because he feels robbed of status. Ursula believes the throne is rightfully hers. Maleficent wanted to make a statement. Magnifico... well, I'm not really sure.

[dekariosclan]

Attention Galemancers: Gale thinks you are wonderful

In celebration of Galemancer week, this post is dedicated to all my fellow wizard-lovers 💜

We’ve talked plenty about how much we love Gale—but in this post I want to talk about how Gale Dekarios loves us, too. Very, very much.

From Astarion-to-Gale pipeliners, to the gamers who played BG3 not intending to romance anyone, to players who thought they’d just play the game casually and mayyybe smooch the hunky Druid elf guy or hot fiery lady, we all played BG3 thinking we had a pretty clear idea of how it was going to go—only to find ourselves rizzed by the wizard.

But we didn’t just choose Gale—Gale chose us.

Remember, Tav does not initiate the romance; Gale has to choose to start the weave scene. So if you’re reading this and you’re a Galemancer, it’s because Gale wanted you to be one.

That’s right Galemancers: Your Pixel Husband©️ took one look at you/your Tav, liked you immediately, and told the other romanceable companions, ‘I beg your pardon, this one is mine.’ The rest is history.

Gale loves us just as much as we love him—and this goes for ALL GALEMANCERS, no matter how your romance went:

Did you go into the game already liking Gale and actively wanting your Tav to romance him? Then Gale applauds your excellent taste. It’s one of the many reasons he chose you! To like so many things about him, and right from the start…he thinks your generosity is quite wonderful.

Did your Tav choose another companion first, and only romance Gale later on/during a second play through? No matter. He knew that you would come to your senses eventually! (just like he’s sure Minthara will appreciate him at some point…) He just had to be patient. It’s fine; you were worth the wait, after all.

Did you get Sneaky God Gale and have to re-do your run/start a new one to get your human proposal ending? Gale knew from the start that you were special—and that you would love him enough to replay the game and fix any bad outcomes. He knew you would do whatever was necessary to correct his path so he could marry you! Seeing you do all that for him…well…it only makes him want you more.

Did you encourage Gale to become a God & have him ascend your Tav, too? Then GodGale is beyond thrilled he chose you. Like he says in the human epilogue: ‘I could spend an eternity in your company.’ Now he can finally do that! (One small request—please keep his ambition in check, but do allow him to continue to troll Raphael as often as he likes.)

Did you romance Gale, but have your Tav go to Avernus with Karlach to help her? Gale always knew you had a heart of gold, and that’s one of the reasons he chose you. A little distance & time won’t hurt a bond like yours—and he’ll have his hearth & home waiting for your return.

Did you read online guides to do Gale’s & Tav’s romance correctly and get the ending you wanted from the start? What divine calculus plucked you from the heavens and thrust you into Gale’s arms? He knew you were studious and detail-oriented from the moment he met you, which is why he chose you! To know you studied so hard in order to get a good ending for him…none have loved him so purely before.

— — —

In short: Gale Dekarios doesn’t toss the ‘L’ word around lightly. He only picks someone to be a Galemancer if he truly thinks they are wonderful—and that’s not just anyone.

In conclusion: Galemancers, you are wonderful!

Now go enjoy the rest of this week with your well-earned and well-deserved pixel wizard—who chose you 💜

[itficlibrary]

This week’s theme is lesbian reddie!

the following are recs for fics that focus on genderbent reddie! remember to check tags & comment on your faves!

look at us (you and me back at it again) by @beeprich (4.9k words)

richie and eddie are much to their anguish on the same soccer team after a super messy friendship(ish) breakup, and hash things out via locker room hook up. featuring slap fights, bags by clairo and make up sex in the most literal sense.

they’re putting up reindeer by thebridgesandtunnels (8k words)

a wonderfully in character festive slice of life wherein eddie sees richie for the first time after derry, against the obstacles that are Santacon in New York City and richie accidentally slicing her hand open. featuring eddie’s horrible marriage (husband edition), a dash of jealous eddie and a side order of benverly drama.

CAUTION: swim (and discover you are very, incredibly gay for your best friend in 1993) at your own risk by geicogecko (@dollarstoreartsupplies) (2.7k words)

quick & adorable oneshot that’s perfect for going into summer! a very repressed eddie gets clobbered over the head by her attraction to richie one day while they’re swimming at the quarry together, and duly freaks out. featuring an awkward & brace-faced but beautiful to eddie richie, intense pining and fun silly teenage shenanigans.

the summer's out of reach by evewithanapple (18.1k words)

a super angsty study of richie’s terrible tenth grade to give you an ache in your chest, wherein the bathroom stall graffiti kickstarts a spiral about her identity and feelings for eddie. featuring lots of fun horror literature references, bevchie best friendship and a highly realistic look at the nerdy teen lesbian experience. (vouch…)

Richie Tozier: Talking About Nothing by z_zz (2.4K words)

One of Richie’s comedy sets that’s pretty much all about her relationship with Eddie, which is equally sweet as it is funny. Featuring gorgeous art at the end, a super believable fem!richie voice, and the canon lesbian event of hacking all your dolls’ hair off.

dreams are reality just waiting to happen by @whenhidden (9.6k)

a delightful study of eddie’s adult life in the closet, as she starts having vague dreams about her childhood and questioning herself after (unknowingly) reuniting with richie. featuring eddie being mysteriously obsessed with richie’s shitty comedy shows, identity affirming haircuts and soft, healing love.

give me a boost over heaven's gate by skyebyrd (3.9k words)

richie is turned on to a pavlovian degree by this one red lipstick eddie wears, and has to survive an event whilst she’s wearing it without imploding. featuring good-with-cars eddie and very-into-it richie, femme top eddie x butch bottom richie, and a drag king bev cameo.

i feel like a waterfall by missbenzedrine (4.2k words)

eddie takes richie on a snowy cabin vacation for her birthday, where they have very sweet birthday sex! featuring the messy affair -> soft domesticity pipeline, eddie reading ‘strap for dummies’ and some jealous, insecure eddie moments.

i'll give it all into your hands by missbenzedrine (2.9k words)

wherein richie hates exercising but is successfully persuaded to go on a run with eddie via the promise of shower sex afterwards. featuring hot mess unfit richie, richie being absolutely weak at the knees for eddie, and the two of them sweet-talking each other nonstop.

maybe im a crook by missbenzedrine (6.8k words)

an exploration of a full blown reddie affair, while eddie is still married to marvin (genderbent myra). featuring richie’s fifteen-year-old-lesbian fashion sense, eddie’s intense guilt & struggles with being unfaithful and a sweet, comforting ending.

that teenage feeling! by fredastaire ( @it2017 )(50k words) 

an amazing coming of age fic about trans female Eddie discovering herself! This is an AMAZING slow burn fic about finding out who you truly are, and it was our first thought when we were thinking of fics to include in this list! The author has such a way with words, and this entire fic feels more like an extended poem than just a piece of longform writing! 

How Does My Body Look in This Light? By GreendaleHumanBeing (27.8k words)

 A wonderfully in character look into Richie and Eddie getting together after meeting at a medical marijuana dispensary. The banter in this fic is amazing, and you’ll be hanging on every single word! 

 accidentally self impose by nosecoffee (12.2k words)

This is an amazing hurt/comfort fic set during the missing years between chapter one and chapter two! Eddie and Richie meet at a bar, and their relationship evolves over several months from friendship to something more. This fic is also part of a series, and the second installment is just as great! 

Lean To Your Window by Butyoucancallmemeg (3.5k words) 

Super cute fic about Richie and Eddie coming home from college for summer break! This is a wonderful look into college age Reddie, and even though the entire fic is essentially one continuous scene, it takes you around the entirety of Reddie’s relationship, not to mention through Eddie’s journey of self-discovery!

the world you must have crossed by anonymous (6.5k words)

This one’s a hearstopping canon-compliant fic that had me all but clutching my pearls! It’s so in character that I was hanging on every single word, and the way the author writes their relationship and Richie’s point of view in particular is so good! 

I Give My Heart by ithoughtghostsjustfloatedaway (@ithoughtghostsjustfloatedaway)(1.6k words)

An adorable fluffy fic about the Tozier-Kaspbraks on their honeymoon. This one will absolutely melt your heart with its cuteness!  Also, be sure to check out the amazing art that accompanies it! Fun fact: this fic was actually written as part of our Valentine’s Day collab a few months back!

Nightingale by pineapplecrushface (27.9k)

A very robust fic set after the events of chapter two, wherein Eddie has to go through self-discovery, divorce, and rediscovering her feelings all at once. This fic is so in character that it’s beautiful, and the banter between Richie and Eddie is absolutely perfect! 

if i keep digging will i find out who i am? By drakarifire (9k)

An Eddie POV masterpiece wherein Eddie goes to one of Richie’s shows and decides that Enough Is Enough and it’s time for her (and Richie!) to have some guiltless fun. I love the introspection in this one from Eddie, it was very easy to get sucked in to her voice!

Open Like a Door by sheepknitssweater (3.8k words)

An amazing oneshot that features Very Extremely Gay Eddie Kaspbrak appreciating her girlfriend’s existence. This fic is heavy with the author’s style in such a pleasing way, which made it a joy to read! 

and then smiles cover your heart by kissbrak (3.3k words)

Another steamy oneshot featuring Reddie getting it on(™) in the bathroom as a party. The bickering in this one is chef’s kiss!

[deramin2]

I think anyone complaining about Bell's Hells morality as we near the end of Critical Role Campaign 3 and whether they truly get to claim they're representatives of the Exandrian people should go watch How To Blow Up A Pipeline (2022) about direct action environmental rights activists. And the documentary Hit & Stay (2013) about the anti-Vietnam War Catholic Far Left activists while you're at it. Or The Trial of the Catonsville Nine (1972) which is based on a play written by one of the priests profiled in Hit & Stay about their trial (grandstanding in the trial was one of the intents of being arrested).

It turns out that when you're not in a binary morality unquestioned heroism YA novel that what is justified in fighting systems of oppression and what the right thing to do is actually becomes hard to determine and largely driven by internal feelings and rage at injustice.

Who determines who gets to have a big say? Who determines what actions are justified when no one will listen to the harm being done? Who determines what is overall the more harmful action? Especially when you can't know the future except that there is no option where tremendous harm is not done. Who determines which step along any road is "right" or even "wise?" Especially when they are taken one by one by specific people who are swept up by the events of their own lives and not predetermined by an all-seeing all-knowing Author writing backwards from the ending?

Playing a game isn't the same as acting in the real world at great personal cost, but real life is a kind of improv. Long form improv doesn't start with how the ending should get tied up. It's about how every single split second decision adds up to a cumulative finale. Things not turning out how you'd have played them out if you already knew everything and were living someone else's life is what reality is like.

The normal state of affairs is people making decisions you don't agree with. "They shouldn't have done that" is boring and useless analysis that shuts down further thought and dismisses what anyone else has to say. "Why did they do that" is what media literacy is about. Campaign 3 was never heroic fantasy (arguably C1 & C2 weren't either). It's a character study in people doing what they feel they must in the moment it's happening without any assurances at all that it's the right thing. It's about not having confidence and surety but having to act anyway. That's the entire point.

How To Blow Up A Pipeline (2022) is a great expression of that same dynamic. They have enough confidence to keep telling each other this is the most necessary action they can take because they don't know what the future looks like, but one where they did nothing isn't one they can stand to live through. Is blowing up this pipeline in the way they are planning to the best possible course of action morally and strategically? Literally nobody knows that. They can't possibly know that. It only matters that these people got to that point, and now it's all happening flaws and all. For love, for revenge, for discord in the face of a society that acts like this is normal. A bunch of righteous fuckups just trying to survive in a harsh world made harsher by the status quo.

If nearly 437 hours of game play was too much to sit through to get that point across, maybe 104 minutes will work better.

[darkangel1791]

I’m an Environmentalist. That’s Why I Can’t Vote Green.

Award-winning filmmaker and director of Gasland Josh Fox on why he will never vote for Jill Stein.

November 1, 2024

The Nation

Milanville, Pennsylvania—Progressives can truly win in this election, even though we have a moderate Democrat on the ticket. And it’s not by voting for Jill Stein. But first, a little history…

Not long ago the entire upper Delaware River basin in Pennsylvania—one of the most beautiful areas in the country, in the watershed for New York City, southern New Jersey and Philadelphia—was on the chopping block for fracking.

A 75 mile stretch of the Delaware River could have become a toxic oil field. Fracking is an environmental apocalypse: millions of gallons of toxic fracking fluids, radioactive waste, underground water contamination, hundreds of thousands of truck trips, air pollution, land scarring, massive public health crises, and depleted water supply. Everything about the practice is toxic; it is inherently contaminating in the long and short term.

Our community was quick to understand the threat and organize and mobilize against it. Every little town along the Delaware across New York and Pennsylvania had a mom-and-pop anti-fracking group spring up. My film Gasland, on HBO, was part of this campaign, and our Gasland tours went from town to town, Johnny Appleseed–style, fostering our new movement.

Amazingly, we won. We banned fracking in the Delaware River basin and in New York State, saving the water supply for 16 million people. One of the greatest achievements of the environmental movement in this century.

We did this by convincing the Democratic governors of New York and Delaware and the president at the time—Barack Obama—to ban fracking here. These were all moderate Democrats. Not exactly Bernie Sanders, if you know what I mean.

I consider myself far to the left of Andrew Cuomo and Barack Obama. But I know that if those moderate Democrats hadn’t been in office, there’s no way we would have won.

Republicans would have just said no. This whole place would have been completely fracked to hell. We would have lost. And the whole gorgeous, life-giving national treasure of the Delaware River would have been a toxic fracking zone.

Our victory against fracking kept more carbon and methane in the ground than almost any other single environmental win in history—making it a huge win for the climate as well.

Here is the key point: I’m not in love with Kamala Harris’s positions on fracking. I find it utterly infuriating when moderate Democrats think that they need to pay lip service to a toxic destructive climate monster of an industry to win Pennsylvania. I don’t actually think that is true, because studies have shown that 70 percent of Pennsylvania residents want fracking either banned or much more tightly regulated.

But I don’t need to be in love. I need to be able to vote strategically.

Hundreds of thousands of people showed up to protect this place and to hold moderate Democrats accountable, and that was the key to victory here.

You know who didn’t show up for this place? Jill Stein. She doesn’t show up for these frontline battles. Ever.

Stein says she’s against fracking, but Stein has hundreds of thousands of dollars invested in the oil and gas industry. Did you know that? Did you know that she actually profits off of the oil and gas industry, that she has had investments in the Keystone XL pipeline and multiple fracking companies?

Did you know that she has investments in Raytheon, that she’s had investments in ExxonMobil? Did you know that she has investments in Home Depot—one of the most rapacious companies in the world, guilty of horrific deforestation throughout the world?

How is it that the Green Party candidate hasn’t divested her own personal fortune from fossil fuels? It’s sheer hypocrisy. And so is the strategy of running for president every four years but never showing up for battles like this.

In 2016, Stein defended these investments by saying they are mutual funds and indexed retirement funds.

But that, plainly speaking, is bunk.

Her claims are a slap in the face to the entire fossil fuel divestment movement. It is easier now than ever to have investments that are fossil free; doing so is a huge plank of the environmental cause. Hundreds of real activists were arrested this summer in New York City calling for Citibank to divest as part of the Summer of Heat campaign. For Stein to ignore all this and still attempt to call herself an activist is beyond hypocrisy, it is political malpractice. Shame on you, Dr. Stein! Shame on you for profiting from fracking and oil drilling.

I’m not in love with Kamala Harris’s positions—on fracking, and on some other issues. But I will tell you what I am in love with. I’m in love with our movements.

I’m in love with what we can do. The entire history of progressive progress in this country is of movements pushing moderate presidents. It happened with FDR and the labor movement. It happened with LBJ and the MLK and the civil rights movement. It happened with Obama and Biden and the movement for gay marriage. We organize and push them—and that’s how we get what we want. That’s our progressive history in America.

But in order for us progressives to do our jobs and fight effectively for a more just and equitable world as a movement, we need to have Harris in office. If we have Donald Trump in office, there’s no chance in hell that we’re actually going to advance an environmental agenda.

So I urge you to please believe in us as a movement. Love us. Believe in our power. We have done this before—and we can do it again with a moderate Democrat in office. Which is the only choice we’ve got right now.

If everyone in who voted for Stein in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan had voted for the Democrat instead, Trump would never have been the president.

We have the true power. It comes from the bottom up.

And I believe in us.

A vote for Harris is a vote for us, a vote for our movements to have a fighting chance for change. Progressive politics and advancing our agenda in this country is not something that happens every four years when you vote, or every four years when a toxic egomaniac like Stein (or Trump, for that matter) runs for president. It is a daily commitment. So vote for Kamala Harris. Join the movement—and I’ll see you on the front lines.

[einshi]

The kogami to Sherlock pipeline needs to be studied, I remember being there when queen Hikaru sensei (pp IT mangaka) released the koumaki gun licking art and continously made suspiciously charged art of them until the day came when she released and Co-produced Moriarty the patriot whose main two guys look suspiciously like Makishima and Kogami and (spoilers ahead) curiously the detective and criminal both fake their deaths and run away to a foreign country where they spend a great deal of years in cohabitation, witnessing this evolution is truly something to analyze

[tiredfemboy]

Bio Time

I figured I should maybe do this so my silly little followers can know me a bit better :3

Quick Facts:

Age: 18

Height: 5’7”/170cm

Country: Canada

Time Zone: PST

Sexuality: Bisexual (leaning towards boys a bit :3)

Gender: idk, probably slightly nonbiney but i still like being a boy. Trying out the idea of being a demiboy rn :3 (he/they)

Areas of Study: Majoring in Computer Science, likely going to specialize in computer graphics and gaming. Planning a minor in history, also very into gender studies

Interests: Computers and technology, video games, history (almost any period/topic), social and political theory/ideas, boykissing, nature

Favourite Game: Hearts of Iron 4 (not in a nazi way ofc)

Favourite Drink: pipeline punch monstr :3

Detailed Bio Time Babey

Hi, I am tiredfemboy. I am a bisexual femboy (as you’ve probably noticed already) majoring in compsci, and I am truly always tired. The only way for me to stay awake all day is multiple monsters :3. I am always looking to make new friends and talk to interesting people. Feel free to message me about almost anything, I will respond to most asks and dms. I would love to discuss any of the topics that I’m interested in at anytime (provided that you come to me in good faith), I will not debate people on the topic of things such as human rights and the validity of queer people as those are not up for debate and a discussion cannot be had in good faith. I would love to share my ideas and provide advice to people on those topics, but I will not give my time to bigots. Anyway, always feel free to send asks or dms I truly love interacting with the little gay people in my phone :3

horny blog: @tinedfemboy hehe :3

Edit: definitely need to clarify a few things. i largely do not interact with NSFW blogs, but this heavily depends on the content of the blog. i do not consider my identity to be a fetish, i do not consider myself to be a cross-dresser and definitely NOT a sissy. if you are an NSFW blog of that type or you message me with fetishistic intent, you can expect to be blocked. :3

Edit 2: I want to put in my steam so that all you little gay people can connect with me off of tumblr :3 my username is TinedFemboy :3 also the same name as my discord, if you want to talk on there :3

[oddeyecir-cle]

nct dream as bollywood songs

thought of making this after i saw this post by @yangkitties (which is so cute btw <3). praying this post finds it's way onto the dashboard of fellow bollywood - kpop enthusiasts

𐚁 lee minhyung

prem ki naiyya from apkgk - the awkward and adorable boy-next-door

saawali si raat from barfi - honestly all songs from this gem of a film should be the soundtrack for mark and his best friends to lovers trope

𐚁 huang renjun

sham from aisha - truly the embodiment of the soft boy aesthetic what can i say

sheila ki jawaani from tees maar khan - but he's also a bad bish so

𐚁 lee jeno

mast magan from 2 states - he's just the sweetest and softest, a lot like this song

ang laga de from ramleela - it's just so...uh *coughs* so *clears throat* freaking hot sensual...yeah * looks away flustered*

𐚁 lee donghyuck

illahi from yjhd - i can totally see him being bunny (the character, NOT the animal) in some other universe and i love this song so

sooraj ki baahon mein from znmd - need i explain?

matargashti from tamasha - the ranbir kapoor character to hyuck pipeline needs to be studied

𐚁 na jaemin

gulaabi from shudh desi romance - i mean the jaemin = pink logic yes. but also if you imagine him in the mood of this song- calm but somehow playful and adventurous. it makes sm sense

uff teri ada from karthik calling karthik - because uff teri ada indeed

𐚁 zhong chenle

drama queen from hasee toh phasee- sass, wit, theatrics. this song IS him.

twist from love aaj kal - unbelievably groovy. he's very cool and so is the song.

𐚁 park jisung

kahani from laal singh chaddha - i swear i'm not trying to baby him. he's a grown man ik, but his presence is so pure and innocent :(( and i love how calm this song makes me feel

dhoom again from dhoom:2 - just fits his aesthetic (plus he would obliterate the choreo)

[wishingforatypewriter]

The "what if they fucked lol?" to "this is a love story worthy of Hozier lyrics" shipping pipeline truly needs to be studied.

[theemporium]

can we please talk about the gifted student to praise kink pipeline because there might be substance there for a thesis

it truly needs to be studied by psychologists around the world

[suenitos]

yeahhhhh the democrats are extremely broken right now and they will never be as productive like republicans are and that’s why we’re stuck in the position we’re in right now

disclaimer that this is not something i study so like. form your own political opinions through people who are not me, i dont really have theory on my side here just my general anecdotal observations.

i think youre right in the sense that those ideas about progress and a changing nation reflective of all diversity that exists in it is just not an easy message to sell over hypermasculinity patriotism order and violence against minorities which is why theres no real such thing as an "alt left" pipeline unless you count like. tumblr or something LOL no but seriously theres ways theyre not being productive on purpose having to do with language and not truly being progressive in ways that the general public might actually agree with if they were presented in ways that weren't strictly "socialist" or "communist". like its a well known fact usa democrat platforms are generally actually much more to the right or center compared to other countries which doesnt have to be that way but we live in hell so! personally i dont think its a matter of if they can be productive its that they wont because its much more about the principle of clinging to that old way of liberalism and refusing to change any messaging strategy that requires them to actually stand on business and not just always "work across the aisle", which would not be a problem if it hasnt been made abundantly clear that many from the other side of the aisle dont care like these people do not operate on the same logic!!

[buzzybeebop]

Hello, studyblrs!

This is kind of my first foray into study-based social media, but I'm a long-time avid admirer!

I decided to start this studyblr because I'm starting grad school (master's in early childhood education), and frankly, it's a little nerve wracking. I want to use this fresh start as a way to really get back into the enjoyment of studying I used to have before I really burnt myself out in undergrad! I also feel like this account and posting regularly might help me stay on track and focused on my courses and my grades (grad school is intense! I can't dip below a B in any class or else I fail out of the program, yeesh.)

I graduated from my undergrad in December off 2023, and with a good break, I feel really excited to start back at a brand new school.

A little bit about me:

Aries, INFP, ambivert

I'm a 23 year old grad student earning my master's in early childhood education in the U.S.

I earned my bachelor's degree in history!

I love books and fashion, and cooking and baking brings me so much joy.

I'm engaged and planning a wedding for November 2025!

I've been working with kids for 9 years (10 next summer!) and it truly is one of my greatest passions. My dream is to one day become a policymaker and help create national in-school programs for at-risk students and eventually assist in ending the school-to-prison pipeline.

Eventually, I would also like to earn a second master's degree in education policy, and a Psy.D (doctorate of psychology) in clinical child psychology.

I'm going to try posting once every day/study session I have, and see how accountable it keeps me!

Thanks for being a community I finally get to enjoy <3

~Bee

[noah-william]

Visual Effects Trends to Watch Out for in 2024

2024 is anticipated to be a highly exciting year for visual effects. In 2023 we saw a rapid shift in the VFX industry with the expected boom of Artificial Intelligence. Today, AI and other new tools and technologies make a huge impact, including in the filmmaking processes like the screenplay, visual concept, VFX creation, editing, and sound. Artificial Intelligence will be employed almost everywhere. This will be an exciting change that will make storytelling tools to start becoming more accessible to all, while also fostering a more competitive and healthy environment for content creators across the board. Naturally, this will make it easier for artists to produce visually stunning content and shall provide wider access to technology, whether it is for writing filmmaking

Umpteen candidates. Infinite opportunities

The last year’s trend shift completely changed the horoscope of the visual effects sector. Studies show that the number of candidates enrolling for Animation and VFX courses has recently doubled effectively proving the popularity it gained among the general public. And, the reason being the scope of studying VFX has broadened worldwide never as before. Every VFX artist dream of working in premium studios like Disney, DNEG, Warner Bros etc or individually start their own business. Just like the boom in visual effects industry there is a similar boom happening in the film industry as well. The average amount of movies being released every year easily surpasses the former years. As most of the movies make use of VFX shots for the better theatrical experience, VFX industry effortlessly benefitted from this trend paving way for more opportunities for VFX artists.

Industry Statistics

India's visual effects and animation sector was estimated to be worth 107 billion Indian rupees in 2022, even after the pandemic's negative impact caused a decline in market value the year before. With revenue of over 50 billion Indian rupees, the VFX segment contributed the most to the overall market size. India's growing prosperity fuels the country's appetite for entertainment. Like other nations in the Asia-Pacific area, India's population is getting wealthier and its economy is expanding. The nation's media and entertainment sector has expanded as a result of rising income and improved connectivity.

Visual effects (VFX) and animation are widely growing media categories. A change towards more convenient and customized digital encounters occurred with the spread of the internet and its revolutionary technologies. These changes made more room for India's animation and visual effects industries to expand, and in 2022, the sector grew by almost 29%. In India, the media sector is dominated by animation and visual effects (VFX), which is expected to increase at a robust rate of 35 percent CAGR between 2022 and 2023.

The most recent developments in technology are establishing new avenues for creativity. As tools and techniques advance with time, VFX artists are experimenting and exploring new artistic possibilities. Traditional pipelines are being challenged by these innovative strategies, and 2024 will be a fascinating year for revaluating how the technology will interact with audience. In order to maximize ambition and minimize risk, VFX studios will be more involved and integrated, leveraging their knowledge of emerging technology and methods of operation.

The speed at which technological innovations are occurring is truly astounding. It is anticipated that in 2024, real-time technologies like Unreal Engine will continue to be adopted for virtual production applications and other uses. Although there are certain difficulties in this field, the opportunities and possible gains for studios are quite alluring. The widespread acceptance of these tactics has been greatly aided by the instruments' accessibility, and this envision is sure to be continued into 2024.

How to get into VFX industry?

The fact that you’re reading this blog and you’ve read it this far is itself a sign that you’re already into the step one of this process. Yes, step one is reading and studying intensively about VFX industry; Knowing the latest trends, range of opportunities, field that matches your taste and everything related which you can do research in. No matter whatever field you choose, having a thorough knowledge about what you’re getting yourself into is mandatory. The second step is opting a suitable program suited to your taste and interests. To pursue a career in VFX, select a  that is  well-reputated and has nice studio set-up.  If you’re interested in only one of the genres of visual effects sector, taking a full-time 3 year degree programme won’t be a good idea. Whether you did 3 year degree program or certificate/diploma course, the opportunities will knock at your door if you’ve a top-noch bunch of works/showreels that showcase your talent and hardwork. Basically, it’s not the education certificate that matters but its the quality of your showreels that decides your future.

However, enrolling in a suitable VFX course at a respectable institution is the simplest approach to get into the VFX and animation industries. This will have a profound impact on how you pursue employment in the sector as well as how your future is shaped.

Salary of a VFX Artist in India

You can offer yourself a solid foundation by enrolling in a reputable VFX and animation course in India. As to the April 2020 update, a VFX artist’s average monthly remuneration is INR 37.5k. As you advance to the position of assistant technical director or assistant animator/creative director, you can expect to generate more income accordingly. In India, the average monthly salary for a VFX artist is presently around INR 15-25k. It is possible to take on freelance work in addition to your full-time employment if you have at least four to five years of expertise in the business. You can make up to INR 45k to 60k a month working as a freelancer, depending on your expertise, reputation, and caliber of work. Expert animators and visual effects artists also bill by the hour. Anyhow, let’s patiently sit back and watch what 2024 has in store for the VFX industry.

[mariacallous]

Students of color benefit over the short and long run when taught by a same-race teacher. This finding is now well established in empirical research. Particularly for Black students, having even one same-race teacher improves test scores, graduation rates, attendance, and behavioral outcomes.

These direct effects of “race-matched” student-teacher interactions have led to calls for diversifying the teaching force to make it more representative of the student population. This is an appropriate lever that promotes multiple objectives: to increase the productivity of the teaching workforce, better serve Black students, and close longstanding racial achievement gaps.

However, a new study shows that the focus on the direct effects of Black teachers’ interactions with Black students (and teachers of color more generally) overlooks an important indirect effect of diverse teaching staffs: knowledge spillovers to their peers. That is, Black students tend to benefit not only from having Black teachers themselves but even from having a Black teacher in their grade level when their own teacher is white. This means that Black teachers’ impacts on Black students are even larger than we thought.

These findings come at a critical time. The recent Supreme Court decision on affirmative action could negatively affect the pipeline of Black college graduates into teaching positions, and pre-college opportunity gaps might be harder to mitigate via the college admissions process. There is, thus, an urgent need to explore ways to better train the largely white teaching workforce we have while continuing our efforts to diversity that workforce.

New evidence from North Carolina

Along with our colleagues Constance Lindsay, Romaine Campbell, and Jessica Rendon, we released a study using both interview and administrative data on 3rd through 5th graders from North Carolina. We show that the Black students of white teachers benefit a good deal from their teacher having at least one same-grade Black peer. The Black students of white novice teachers score about 10% better on both math and ELA end-of-grade tests when their teacher has a same-grade Black peer. They are also about 10% less likely to be suspended from school. These are fairly large, practically meaningful effects.

For a few reasons, our results suggest that these effects are the result of peer learning (or knowledge spillovers) as opposed to other channels. First, the results are concentrated among novice teachers with three or fewer years of experience. Second, these effects are persistent in the sense that historical exposures to peers of color continue to matter over time. If the observed effects were due to white teachers’ increasing effort due to social pressure or to Black teachers interacting with Black students in other classrooms, they would not be limited to novice teachers, nor would past peer exposures matter today. Finally, in open-ended interviews, teachers themselves corroborate that they learn from their peers, particularly on the issue of race.

For example, one white teacher specifically acknowledged the value of interacting with Black peers:

“… I have a very limited perspective as a White teacher or as a White staff member and owning and recognizing that before you can go any further. I have been really fortunate [that] out of our four 5th grade teachers, two of them are Black women and then me and the other one are White women. And I have really appreciated and grown with the ability and openness within our [group], like, hey, this happened today, I just want to talk through it and make sure that I’m in my appropriate space or how can I handle this situation or here is something that a student said and I’m not sure if that needs to be addressed and putting our heads together with our different perspectives … ”

The finding that teachers learn from their peers isn’t new; that less effective teachers improve when exposed to more effective mentors and peers has been shown in several contexts, including in the same North Carolina context studied here. What is new is the finding that white teachers learn racial competency from their Black peers. There are several implications:

Getting the full benefits of teacher diversity

First, this shows that prior research on the impacts of student-teacher race matching seriously understates the benefits of achieving a truly diverse and representative teaching force. Prior research only measures the direct effects of same-race student-teacher interactions and overlooks the indirect effects that teachers of color have on students in other classrooms via knowledge spillovers to the other teachers in their grade. In terms of a cost-benefit analysis, this means that even more resources should be devoted to creating and maintaining a teaching force that is truly representative of the student body it serves.

Second, while these results demonstrate the importance of diversifying the teaching force, this will take time, and other important work can be done now. That is, school leaders and policymakers should do the best with what they have. This means two things: being more strategic in the placements of existing teachers of color and augmenting pre- and in-service training for all teachers to include high expectations, empathy, and culturally relevant pedagogy interventions.

Regarding teacher placements, these findings provide an important example of how diverse teams are more productive. There is potentially low-hanging fruit here: in schools that have multiple Black teachers, assigning them to different grade levels will maximize the number of white teachers who have the opportunity to learn from a Black peer and thus maximize the indirect effects of those Black teachers. Moreover, this type of assignment strategy could enable schools to ensure that a higher share of Black students is exposed to a Black teacher at least once.

Regarding teacher trainings, the fact that white teachers learn racial competency from their Black peers suggests that it is a malleable skill that can and should be a focus of both pre- and in-service teacher training programs. Examples of training or class modules that fit in this broad basket include empathy, high expectations for all, culturally relevant pedagogy, and ethnic studies. Better preparing white teachers to thrive in our nation’s increasingly diverse classrooms is paramount to ensuring that all students have access to a quality education and that we, as a society, reap the myriad benefits of a better educated populace. This is increasingly urgent, given political headwinds to rapidly diversifying the teaching workforce that are getting stronger due to legal challenges to programs and policies that would increase diversity in higher education. Those headwinds are most obviously legal challenges and prohibitions of the use of race in hiring and admission decisions, but also the more general opposition to seriously engaging with issues of race and racial justice in schools and the public sphere.

Finally, it’s encouraging to see concrete evidence of something that many educators and school leaders have long thought: that we are stronger together and have much to learn from one another. Facilitating opportunities for teachers to connect and interact with colleagues of different backgrounds and experiences is a low-cost, easily implementable idea.